Error in declaration of Colony referendum results will require clarification

The omission of one spoken word during a town meeting last week certifying the March 14 commission elections and a pair of density referendums will require the Commission on Monday to redo the Colony Beach and Tennis Resort portion of the proceedings on Monday.

The formality of the second run is explained on the April 3 agenda. 

“In the reading of the ballot question for the Colony referendum, an early version of the referendum question was mistakenly stated,” the item reads. The ballot used on March 14 contained the correct information, so there was no issue with the validity of the result.

This early version of the referendum question was as follows:

“May the Town allow The Colony property at 1620 Gulf of Mexico Drive (approximately 17.3 acres), zoned T-6 (allowing 6 units per acre) but having a non-conforming density for tourism uses of 13.6 units per acre and 237 tourism units, to increase density to add 180 additional residential units for a potential density of 24.11 units per acre (417 total units)?”

The Town Commission amended this ballot question during second reading and public hearing on the ordinance, deleting the word “additional.”

On Monday, the correct ballot question regarding the referendum will be read to clarify results for the town record.

The referendum was defeated on March 14 with 87% of the Key electorate voting against Unicorp National Developments’ proposal for the property.